How the government works

[Southern Breeze]

How the government works: Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said someone may steal from it at night, so they created a night watchman, GS-4 position, and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, How does the watchman do his job without instruction?” So they created a planning position and hired two (2) people, one person to write the instructions, GS-12, and one person to do time studies, GS-11.

Then Congress said, How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly? So they created a Quality Control position and hired two (2) people, one GS-9 to do the studies and one GS-11 to write the reports.

Then Congress said, How are these people going to get paid? So they created the following positions, a time keeper, GS-09, and a payroll officer, GS-11, and hired two (2) people.

Then Congress said, Who will be accountable for all of these people? So they created an administrative position and hired three (3) people, an Administrative Officer GS-13, Assistant Administrative Officer GS-13, and a Legal Secretary GS-08.

Then Congress said, We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost. So they did the obvious and most prudent thing—they laid off the night watchman.

[starbkjrus]

Wow. I didn't realize they were quite that efficient. I'd have suspected more like $180,000.00 over budget in a year's time.

[davedove]

And of course they couldn't lay off anbody else, because their salaries would amount to more than $18,000. Thus they would be under budget and have to scramble to spend the extra money before it was taken away.